


Under the Spotlight

by HoofbeatsOrThunder



Series: The Barden University Theater Company presents... [1]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: College AU, F/F, Theater Nerds, cabaret
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-10
Updated: 2015-07-10
Packaged: 2018-04-08 14:10:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4308102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoofbeatsOrThunder/pseuds/HoofbeatsOrThunder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>College AU, where Barden University’s theater troupe does the musical Cabaret, but with a twist: some of the characters have been genderbent. In support of her best friend Chloe, who was cast as one of the Kit Kat Klub dancers/Ensemble, Beca attends a performance and finds herself captivated by the drop-dead gorgeous blonde woman playing The Emcee.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Under the Spotlight

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this was inspired by two things, the first being Raul Esparza's portrayal of the Emcee during his run in Cabaret. Most of the songs he performed are one Youtube, though if you want to see the inspiration for the songs specifically mentioned within the fic, you should definitely look up "Willkommen" and "Two Ladies". The other thing that helped to birth this plot bunny was my own university's production of Cabaret where a number of the characters were played by a different gender than what's in the tradition musical (ie Sally Bawles, the Emcee, some of the dancers).  
> I hope you all enjoy, I definitely had fun wriiting it!

Beca sits quietly in the corner of lobby, not so patiently waiting for Fat Amy to hurry back with their tickets for the show tonight. This isn’t really her scene. Sure, she’s a proud Barden Bella, and she lives to perform with her aca-sisters, but theater is an entirely different ballgame altogether. Honestly, the brunette can’t recall if she’s ever even seen a play or musical. Well, other than The Nutcracker way back in elementary school. _Because let’s be real, everyone has seen that at some point._  
  
She anxiously scans the growing crowd and breathes a sigh of relief when she spots Fat Amy cutting through the crush with all the subtlety of a firecracker. The Australian gestures wildly to her, waving two tickets over her head and motioning for Beca to come on. Rolling her eyes, the Bella co-leader slowly makes her way to her friend, weaving between clustered groups of people and packs of overly excited theater fans. One guy, some hulking giant with dark hair and a jawline that could cut glass, nearly knocks her down. She huffs irritably, cursing her small stature, but finally makes it to her friend’s side.  
  
“So apparently Chloe worked some of her ginger voodoo magic and got us seats right next to the stage,” Fat Amy says, offering her hand for a high-five which Beca obliges with an indulgent smile. “We ought to be close enough to practically smell the sweat and hormones.”  
>br/> Beca’s forehead scrunches in confusion. “Hormones? What are you talking about, Amy?”  
  
The blonde’s smile fades, and she gives the smaller girl an incredulous look. “Dude, have you never seen _Cabaret_ before?” When Beca shakes her head, Fat Amy gives a low whistle and gives the brunette a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. “Well then, you, my innocent little friend, are about to be in for the show of your life. Some of the numbers in this show are enough to set a nun’s panties on fire.”  
  
Beca opens her mouth to reply, but she can’t even come up with an adequate follow-up. Eyes narrowed, she grabs a program from a passing usher, and quickly scans the synopsis for the show.  
  
  
_Set in 1931 Berlin as the Nazis are rising to power, it is based in nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub, and revolves around the 19-year-old English cabaret performer Sally Bowles and her relationship with the young American writer Cliff Bradshaw._  
  
_A sub-plot involves the doomed romance between German boarding house owner Fräulein Schneider and her elderly suitor Herr Schultz, a Jewish fruit vendor. Overseeing the action is the Master of Ceremonies at the Kit Kat Klub. The club serves as a metaphor for ominous political developments in late Weimar Germany._  
  
  
She turns back to her friend. “Amy, this sounds like some straight-laced historical fiction movie you’d find on Lifetime. You must be thinking of a different show.”  
  
The Australian peeks over her shoulder at the program but shrugs, unconcerned. “Trust me, Beca. I’ve seen this show before, and I can promise that you’re in for a surprise. Ooh, maybe we’ll even get a lap dance!”  
  
Before Beca can respond, the doors to the auditorium are opened, and Fat Amy hustles her in to ensure that they gets their seats first. Beca almost laughs at her friends antics, amused by the blonde’s exuberance. As they settle into the surprisingly comfortable seats, Beca leans over. “So you said you’ve seen this before, right?”  
  
Fat Amy nods, eyes wandering over the elaborate set on the stage; the place looks like it’s been converted into a vintage club, complete with red velvet curtains, spindly-legged tables, and what seems like hundreds of open bulb lights lining the front and sides of the stage. Hanging over the top of the stage, there’s a large sign of red lights spelling out CABARET. Beca is impressed despite herself.  
  
“Yeah, I saw it back home once when I was in high school. The professional tour, not some half-arsed school production.”  
  
She leans back in her seat. “So, did you like it?”  
  
More vigorous nodding from the Aussie. “Hell yeah. What’s not to like about sex, drama, and musical numbers? Besides, there’s always men in fishnets, and I’m not one to turn down such a gift.”  
  
_Fishnets?_ Beca thinks incredulously, turning back to the program and flipping to the cast listings. The main roles are grouped together on the first page, and Beca scans the names half-heartedly in an attempt to keep busy until the show starts. She notices what she assumes is a weird typo, where a guy’s name and picture are pasted alongside the description for the lead female role. She gives a little shrug, mostly unconcerned. Another image grabs her attention.  
  
An intense-looking blonde woman stares out from her small picture, a small smirk tugging at her lips. Beca notices that her character description is the shortest of the main cast. It simply reads: _The Master of Ceremonies._  
  
The Bella snorts. _Dramatic much?_ She continues reading through the program until the house lights dim and an older man marches onto the stage.  
  
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Barden University’s production of _Cabaret_! We appreciate your support of the arts and hope that you enjoy our special rendition of this critically acclaimed musical!” He gives a small bow, and the crowd applauds as he exits the stage through the wings. A moment later, the sign above the stage flickers on and various spotlights come to life.  
  
One spotlight settles on a rather plain looking door towards the back of center stage, and the sound of a door slamming echos through the auditorium just before the music erupts from the orchestral pit in front of them. It’s heavy on brass instruments, not really Beca’s sort of thing, but not completely awful. She sits back in her seat, arms crossed over her chest.  
  
The door opens slowly to reveal the tall figure of a woman. The spotlight stays low on her, so the Bella co-leader can’t make out much about the actress other than the fact that she’s shrouded in a knee-length, dark leather trench coat. A perfectly manicured hand gives a come hither sign as the music continues to roll. Finally the spotlight rises to her face as she closes the door behind her, and Beca recognizes the smug blonde from the program cast photos.  
  
_Oh shit, she’s even prettier in person_ , the brunette thinks, and then the blonde starts singing. _Holy German accent, Batman._  
  
The woman’s hands never stop moving as she sings, twisting sensually through the air and over her body in ways that send Beca’s thoughts straight to the gutter. It doesn’t help that some of the lines are sung in German, French, as well as English. The words slide off the actresse’s tongue smooth as silk, and she stares helplessly at the woman working the stage like she owns it.  
  
There’s a change in the music as the Emcee introduces the “orchestra” that’s been hidden on the landing above the stage, and Beca feels her mouth go dry as the blonde saunters back and forth across the stage, untying the stays of the trench coat and offering teasing glimpses of the pale skin underneath. The actress’s eyes wander over the audience, winking coyly at some as she passes. Her eyes pass over Beca, and she nearly melts into her seat at the heat in the other woman’s gaze.  
  
And suddenly, the coat is shed in smooth, practiced movements. Beca struggles to keep her jaw from dropping.  
  
The Emcee is wearing some of the most sinfully tight leather pants the brunette has ever seen ( _Jesus did they have to pour her into those??_ ) and a tightly laced corset top that leaves the woman’s toned shoulders gloriously bared to the hot spotlights.  
  
“And now, presenting the cabaret girls! Here they are: Rosie!” The Emcee struts down to the front of the stage-- _Oh my God, those heels_ \-- and throws a casual arm around a scantily dressed girl that appears from the wings. Their hips sway together in time with the music. “Rosie is so called because of the color of her cheeks.” With a sly grin, the blonde crouches behind the dancer, thigh muscles bunching tightly under the leather of her pants. She rises again with a smirk. “Yes, still _rosy_.”  
  
The Emcee continues through another girl and even a guy in drag, making lewd jokes for each, before Beca’s bestie, Chloe, saunters onto the stage, red curls as vibrant as fire under the stage lights. “Texas,” she gestures with a perfectly toned arm to Chloe as she glides over to the girl. She puts an arm around the redhead's shoulders just as she’s done the others, the hypnotic sway of her hips doing things to Beca’s thought process. “Texas is very, very special,” the blonde explains, a hand drifting until it rest over one of Chloe’s breasts. “Texas is American, but we do not hold that against her.” She gives a filthy smirk, tongue poking out to wet her lips. “She’s a very cunning linguist.” Glancing at the front row, she makes eye contact with Beca. She points to Fat Amy, gesturing to the Bella co-leader. “You explain it to her, ja? Show them, Texas!” Chloe glides across the stage, doing highly inappropriate things with her tongue to demonstrate her _linguistic skills_.  
  
The Emcee finishes the introductions of the female dancers and moves on the men, her manner as equally risque with them as it had been with the girls. By this point, Beca is more than a little flustered, squirming a bit in her seat as she stares blatantly at the gorgeous blonde dancing across the stage.  
  
_What the hell is wrong with me_ , she thinks, watching as the opening number closes with a deafening crescendo, the Emcee hoisted onto the shoulders of some of the male actors. _I’m straight. Like an arrow_. The stage goes dark, the last thing the audience sees being the blonde with a train whistle pressed to her red-painted lips. _Jesus, I’m in so much trouble._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
By the end of the first act, Beca is a mess of conflicting thoughts that are slowly being won over by sheer sexual frustration. The show is great so far, and the Bella can’t deny that the overall production is superbly put together. The acting and singing are especially good, from all the actors, but Beca can’t even try to deny that the Emcee is the one to completely capture her attention in every scene she graces. It doesn’t help that the woman has some of the most sexually charged songs in the whole show (Beca nearly had a coronary over “Two Ladies” and even Fat Amy had noticed the brunette’s close attention to the blonde on the stage after that little number).  
  
Beca is currently taking the remainder of the intermission to calm herself, watching the milling crowd to help distract her thoughts. Above her, the overhead lights flicker twice, signaling that the show will resume in a couple of minutes. Fat Amy leans over, nudging the smaller woman’s shoulder.  
  
“You ready for round two, Becs?” Beca nods uncertainly, and gives her friend a small smile. The Australian shoots her a wink before turning back in her seat as the music picks back up and the door on stage opens to reveal the Emcee. The brunette admires the actress, eyes tracing slowly over the colorful dressing gown tied tightly around her body.  
  
Walking up to the front of the stage, the Emcee calls out, “Hallo! Welcome back.” She moves easily along the edge, smirking at the various audience members in front of her. “How are you doing, eh? I hope you have all rested up,” she stops nearly in front of Beca and makes eye contact with the brunette, “Because believe me, you will be needing all of your energy.” She grins and moves back across to the other side of the stage, leaving the Bella blushing in her wake. “I feel like dancing,” the blonde declares to the auditorium, hands fisted on her hips. “Who would like to dance with me?”  
  
There are restless murmurs from the audience as the Emcee glides down the stairs leading down from the stage. She quickly pulls a man from his seat, dragging him back on stage with her. Beca can’t help but notice how his eyes linger on the blonde actress, but she refuses to admit that the heavy feeling in her stomach is jealousy.  
  
“What is your name, liebling?” the Emcee asks as she quickly arranges herself and the man so that they are in a classic waltz position. The man is only an inch or so taller than the blonde so she doesn’t have to lean far to hear his answer. “Bryan, danke, for coming up tonight.” The pair moves somewhat clumsily across the stage.  
  
“Come now, Bryan” the Emcee murmurs suddenly, voice low and intimate in a way that makes Beca shiver “we cannot both possibly lead, and I have never been one to follow.” The audience laughs at the man’s flustered attempts to dance until the blonde finally spins him away and releases him back to the audience. “Everyone, Bryan! Isn’t he stunning?”  
  
The Emcee waits under the applause dies off before once more sweeping down to the front seats, this time making her way directly towards the two Bellas. “Now I know I saw a lovely little maus somewhere over here.” Her eyes land on Beca and light up with recognition. Beca’s heart starts to race as the blonde stops in front of her, a predatory smile on her red lips.  
  
Before Beca even really knows what’s happening, the Emcee takes her hand and hauls her to her feet and proceeds to drag her on stage. She barely knows what to do with herself as the blonde ( _holy shit, she’s tall, and why is that so hot_ ) draws her close, too close, everything is pressed together, fuck, and proceeds to dance with her across the stage. Leaning down to speak into Beca’s ear, the Emcee purrs, “So what is your name, tiny maus?”  
  
“B-Beca.” The blonde grins at her stutter, her hands dropping a little lower on the smaller woman’s back. The heat of it is scorching through the back of her blouse.  
  
She hums in thought and then shakes her head, hair falling over her shoulder like a golden waterfall. The brunette gulps noisily. “No, I think I prefer tiny maus.” She turns to address the audience, spinning Beca out of her embrace. “What do you think, everyone? Such a darling maus, ja?” The auditorium responds with applause and a few catcall as the Emcee gracefully leads the blushing Bella back to her seat.  
  
Just before she struts back up to the stage, the Emcee gives Beca one last smirk. “Perhaps you should come find my room after the show? The door is always open,” she says with a smooth twist of her hips that leaves little confusion about her meaning. The audience laughs, and the blonde saunters back on stage, glowing radiantly once more under the spotlights. “Meine Damen und Herren, Mesdames et Messieurs, Ladies and Gentlemen, I give to you for your pleasure, the Kit Kat Klub band. Enjoy!”  
  
The band kicks up on cue, and the Emcee struts back out the door she had come from earlier. Once she disappears from sight, Fat Amy leans over their shared armrest. “Lesbihonest, Beca, you are so gay for that woman that even the poor bunyips in the back could see the rainbow heart eyes you were making at her just then.”  
  
Beca just buries her face in her hands and groans as the band plays overhead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beca sticks close behind Fat Amy as the Australian basically plows her way through the crowd gathered in the lobby. On all sides, the brunette can see people talking about the show and chatting with the various cast members that came out afterward. Ahead of them, the smaller woman spots the prominent red hair of Chloe and points her out to Amy.  
  
Chloe, still clad in her club dancer costume, lights up when she spots them and runs over to hug them both. “What did you guys think of the show?” she asks, her excitement nearly overflowing.  
  
“For a college production, it was pretty damn spectacular,” Amy says loudly, grinning fit to burst. “And I can’t complain about the view. Talk about eye candy, am I right?” Chloe laughs, rolling her eyes at their friends arch tone. She turns to Beca.  
  
“What about you, Beca. Did you like it?” The brunette is about to reply, but Fat Amy jumps in, like an overeager kid at Christmas.  
  
“You bet she liked it, what with her and the Emcee eye fucking each other the whole show. I could barely pay attention with Beca squirming the entire time like someone set her pants on fire.”  
  
Chloe turns to her best friend, a brow raised questionly. “You? And the Kommissar?”  
  
Beca frowns in confusion. “The Kommissar? Isn’t that like a title?” The redhead sighs impatiently, waving away the smaller woman’s confusion.  
  
“She choreographed the entire show on top on being one of the principal actors, and she was as strict as her German heritage would imply. It was just an inside joke with the cast, and she liked ‘the Kommissar’ enough to prefer it rather than being called by her actual name. Now what’s this about you two making eyes at each other. Details, Beca!”  
  
Beca gapes for a moment, completely unable to come up with any defense or excuse, anything really that will get her best friend off her back, when an accented voice calls from behind them. “ _Ingwer_ , who is that you are speaking with?” Her heart stops briefly, and she can only stare helplessly as the subject of their conversation moves easily towards the trio.  
  
The blonde actress is still in her costume, the leather pants and tight corset, and Beca has to remind herself to _keep her eyes up_ on the other woman’s face. Not that looking at her face helps, because _wow_ she is stunning, all sharp cheekbones, smirking red lips, and bright blue eyes. Those eyes light up with amusement when she spots the shorter woman. “Tiny maus, I wondered if you had scurried away already.”  
  
Chloe leaps into action. “Beca this is Luisa. Luisa, these are my friends, Beca and Fat Amy.” The blonde-- Luisa-- grins.  
  
“Yes, Beca and I have have already met.” In response to Chloe’s confused expression, she elaborates. “We danced together during the entr'acte. I had hoped we would run into one another again.” Beca can’t contain the squeak that escapes her as Luisa steps closer, way into her personal space in a way that sets her heart racing.  
  
“Oh wow, you are completely gorgeous.” The brunette realizes what she has said and nearly face-palms at her total lack of chill. Luisa smiles widely at the compliment, placing a large hand on the Bella’s back and turning back to Chloe and Fat Amy.  
  
“Your friend is so easily flustered, Ingwer,” the German says offhandedly, her hand drifting lower on Beca’s back just as it had when they danced during the show. “Whatever shall we do with her?”  
  
“I can think of a few things,” Beca mutters under her breath without thinking, and blesses her luck that Luisa doesn’t seem to hear. Unfortunately, Fat Amy takes the chance to butt in, her eyes full of mischief.  
  
“Well, I guess it’s time that Beca and I head back to the room. Got things to do tomorrow and all that crap.” She gives Beca a so not subtle look. “Unless you’d rather go home with Legs over here.” She jerks a thumb at the German who merely watches with undisguised amusement. The brunette flushes with embarrassment.  
  
“Um, actually, I have things to do. Like class things. Not Luisa,” she closes her eyes in defeat and bites back a curse. “Anyway, Chloe I’ll see you after Government tomorrow.” She grabs Fat Amy’s hand and starts dragging the Australian away in the hopes of preserving what’s left of her dignity.  
  
“Wait a moment, tiny maus.” Beca freezes in place when she feels hands on her shoulders and she spins around and end up face to chest with the Kommissar. She quickly takes a step back for the sake of her own sanity. Behind her, she hears Amy shouting that she’ll be waiting at the car, and then she’s alone with the drop-dead gorgeous blonde.  
  
A soft hand under her chin grabs her attention. “Focus, Beca. I have something for you.” Luisa leans down and their lips are nearly brushing, and Beca can feel her breath puffing gently over her own mouth. She fights desperately against the urge to lick her suddenly dry lips. Unreadable blue eyes study her, gauging her reaction, and then Luisa is kissing her, and _fuck her lips are so soft._  
  
Beca whines into the contact, pressing her hands against the solid heat of Luisa’s stomach, trying to feel her through the thick material of her corset. A hand brushes down her hip, tugs at her pocket, and then the blonde is pulling away, leaving Beca gasping for more. The German’s blue eyes, darker than they were previously, are intent on the phone in her hand. _That’s my phone_ , the Bella thinks fuzzily. She shakes her head to try and clear away the cloud of hormones threatening to take over her brain. “What are you doing?”  
  
Luisa doesn’t look up until she’s finished whatever she was doing and hands Beca her phone back, their fingers brushing together. The brunette looks down and sees that the German has added her phone number into her contacts. Glancing back at Luisa, she raises an eyebrow, curious.  
  
“Text me sometime when you are free. We’ll have coffee,” the blonde says, reaching toward Beca to tuck an errant brown curl back behind her ear. She can’t help but shiver at the light touch.  
  
“Um, yeah. Coffee. Definitely.” _Smooth, Beca._ Luisa, however, doesn’t seem deterred and gives her a brilliant smile that fills the Bella’s stomach with butterflies.  
  
“Until then, tiny maus.” She turns and saunters back into the crowd, disappearing from sight even with her impressive height. Beca stares after her before shaking herself free of her goddess-induced stupor and heading towards the parking lot.  
  
She fiddles absently with her phone, and then grins. _Tomorrow. I’ll text her tomorrow._

**Author's Note:**

> I'm putting this in as a one-shot but if this has enough interest I may do a follow up, so let me know what you think!  
> Comments, critiques, kudos are all greatly appreciated!


End file.
